BTS – Everything You Need To Know About The K-Pop Boy Band

From good looks to the electrifying performances that have become their trademark, the K-Pop boy band, BTS, has so far raised the bar. For a band that amasses 40K retweets for a very short video clip of a sleeping member, there’s more to BTS than meets the eye. The seven-member band was formed in 2013 and put out their first studio project Dark & Wild the following year. As of 2018, they have released three English albums and three Japanese language albums.

Since their inception, many of their songs and albums have made it onto the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200, and other charts in the US and in their home country of South Korea. The boy band made history in 2018 when they became the first Korean band to have a song certified platinum in the United States. As of 2018, BTS has shipped over 10 million album units in Korea with about half of that number happening in 2018.

How exactly did this group from Korea become world famous? Read on to learn some interesting facts about the band and each individual member.

Who Are Members of The K-Pop Boy Band, BTS?

Kim Seok-jin (Jin)

Jin is the oldest member of the band. He was one of the first four vocalists who were auditioned by Big Hit Entertainment to start the BTS Boy Band. Before his discovery, he was studying acting at Konkuk University. Alongside fellow BTS member, V, he wrote the song, It’s Definitely You. The song was a soundtrack for the historical drama, Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. In a survey conducted by Gallup Korea in 2018, Jin came out as the 11th most preferred idol.

Min Yoon-gi (Suga or Agust D)

The rap sensation of the BTS band actually started his musical career as a teenager with the stage name, Gloss. Suga came from his years of playing basketball, as an abbreviated form of Shooting Guard. He is popular for his ability to string words together, with quick rhymes. He does some music productions too. Yoon-gi has helped in the production of so many award-winning songs by various other artists, even very many BTS songs. He showed some level of activism in his 2016 mixtape, Agust D. There he voiced his concerns for so many issues from mental health to political matters.

Jung Ho-Seok (J-Hope)

Before becoming a member of BTS, J-Hope was a key member of a dance crew called Neuron. He stands out with his friendly persona and incredible dancing abilities. As a dancer, he has won a South Korean national dance competition in 2008. Just like Suga, he also does a bit of rapping. He said he decided to go with J-Hope as a stage name because he wanted to be an icon of hope and light to the world and his fans.

Kim Nam-joon (RM or Rap Monster)

RM was the first member of the BTS Boy Band, which naturally made him the leader of the band. He was a battle rapper before joining the band but has also done huge collaborations with the likes of Wale. He thought himself English by watching every single episode of Friends. Kim subsequently delivered an English language speech at the U.N. General Assembly held in New York in September 2018.

Park Ji-min (Jimin)

Ji-min has a penchant for being perfect, yet with a caring and loving personality. Prior to joining the BTS band, he was admitted to Busan High School of Arts. He rose to become one of the top students in modern dance. He later transferred to Korean Arts High School, alongside his singing compatriot, V.

Kim Tae-Hyung (V)

When it comes to R&B, V is the man. His vocals are so smooth that he seamlessly sails through low tempo songs for the band. Amidst having a great vocal dexterity, he produces songs as well. Tae-Hyung has forayed into dancing and he is also attracted to photography.

Jeon Jeong-guk (Jungkook)

Jungkook is the youngest member of the BTS band, joining at 15. He had to delay high school for a year to focus on the band. After his auditioning for the South Korean talent show, Superstar K, he became one of the singers that were on high demand. Of all the offers that came his way, he decided to sign with Big Hit Entertainment. Apart from singing, he dances and plays video games in his spare time.

BTS at the 61st Grammy Awards Ceremony

Everything you need to know about BTS

The band was launched in 2013

BTS is a South Korean boy band that started in 2013. The band name came from a Korean expression Bangtan Sonyeondan, which means Bulletproof Boy Scout. However, as part of a move to give the band a new identity, they announced that BTS will become an acronym for Beyond the Scene, in 2017.

They met success early in their career

From inception, they were already billed for success. Their single, No More Dream, won them so many New Artist of the Year awards. The K-Pop band rose to fame in 2014 with the album, Dark & Wild. The 2015 album, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Part 2, and their 2016 album, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever, both made it to the U.S. Billboard 200. The latter album would go on to win the Album of the Year award at the Melon Music Awards in 2016.

In September 2017, they pre-sold over one million copies of their EP, Love Yourself: Her, two weeks before the official release date. 24 hours after its official release, it took the number one spot on the iTunes Album Chart. This was a massive leap for any South Korean band or artist. The next installment in 2018, Love Yourself: Tear had 1.44 million copies pre-sold within six days of the pre-selling period.

They are the best boy band since One Direction

BTS has risen so fast in popularity as one of the bighorns in the global music industry. Their social media notoriety is amazing with over 20 million fans across all their social media networks (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter). Every one of their World tours has been massively explosive, as tickets get sold out almost as soon as it started selling.

Their popularity was also favored by the split up of U.K.’s One Direction in 2015. They stepped up to fill the boy band vacuum left by One Direction, as they went to chase after their solo careers. They didn’t just naturally fit into the shoes, they set the bar high with their awesome outlook, stylish disposition, and electrifying performances.

BTS performed at the 61st Grammy Awards in 2019

The seven stars of the BTS band stole the show and the hearts of their fans on February 10, 2019, at the 61st Grammy Awards, making them the first K-Pop band ever to perform at the Grammys. Everything was just perfect – from the tuxes to the stage presence. They gave a hell of a spectacle in their very first big night at the Grammys.

They nicknamed their fanbase “ARMY”

The fanbase of the BTS band goes by the name ARMY, which is an acronym for “Adorable Representatives of MC Youth”. They are very integral to their rise in fame and popularity. The fanbase is growing organically with inroads made in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Africa. In 2017, BTS became the most tweeted about celebrities, thanks to ARMY.